Candle in the Dark

“I will knock down the gates to Infernus,

I will tear up the sign posts to hell,

and I will teach the dead to grow hungry! 

So that they will remember her well!”

We've taken a break from playtesting to play some Dogs in the Vineyard (or Dogs in the Dark as it were). Meanwhile, I've been re-examining some of the system foundations and themes. This all leads me to examine what my three insights are.

Subject matter. Playing the monster is fun.

Role-playing. The PCs are the main characters of the story.

Human nature. Wealth and power grant greater ability to act, but greater resistance to doing so.

If this doesn't make any sense, go read the blog post from Vincent Baker linked above and then come back. I promise it's short.

Number one is fairly straight forward. Candle in the Dark is ostensibly a blend of horror and fantasy - perhaps even gothic horror. However, you aren't asked to play a shrinking violet or innocent soul beset by horrific beasts. You are the beast. Not in a personal horror "I am the Monster" way, but in a "look at all the cool stuff I can do" way. Monsters are fun.

Two is fairly straight forward as well, and not particularly revolutionary in the realm of RPG design. However, we say it loud and proud. You are the main character. No one can solve the six things wrong with the world except you. This is built into the rules - particularly the companion rules that have yet to be published here. Certainly also the way tiers work, and the built-in assumption that you are in the heroic tier.

Like most role-playing games, characters in Candle in the Dark are a combination of concept and rules. Concepts can be as simple as a bloodline and career or as detailed as a multiple page write-up covering the character's personal history and personality. It all depends on the tastes of the players and the gamemaster. The rules for creating a character include choosing bloodlines, abilities, skills, magic, advantages, and equipment.

Looking at the character sheet, you can see the various elements that make up a character from a rules perspective. You'll probably notice right away that the traits are roughly divided into three areas: physical, mental, and social. Many traits are pre-defined, but there are blank spaces for writing custom traits.

One last note - these rules are intended to create heroic characters. Characters in the common or epic tiers may be created under optional rules (to follow later).

Sidebar: Example characters

Throughout character creation, we'll look at two characters being created. The first is Ella Nola, a grim barbarus mercenary. The second is Justin Cartus, an inquisitive mortalis scholar.

Bloodline

Choose a bloodline from those available (see part 1 and part 2 for details). Currently, the following bloodlines are available: Barbarus, Lamia, Mortalis, and Nothus. More are on the way.

Write down the advantages listed under your chosen bloodline. Take 7 points and divide it among the advantages listed. You can assign all 7 to one advantage, split them up evenly, or any combination that adds up to 7. Not all of the advantages must have a score.

Now write down any flaws listed under your bloodline (more info here). They are each assigned a score equal to your highest bloodline advantage. If your bloodline does not have any flaws, leave them blank.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella chooses barbarus as her bloodline. She writes down the advantages Instinct, Mesiac’s Blessing, Regeneration, Savage Honor, Scent of the Moon, and Strength of the Beast. Looking over the rules for each and which traits they affect, she decides to grab a few just so she can use them and pump the rest of her points into Strength of the Beast for Melee. She chooses to assign 1 point each to Instinct, Mesiac's Blessing, Regeneration, and Savage Honor and 3 points to Strength of the Beast. She writes down the flaws Bestial Form and Mesiac's Curse and sets them each to 3.

Justin chooses mortalis as his bloodline. He writes down the advantages Courageous, Gossip, Hardy, Innocent, Superstitious, and Suspicious. Looking over which traits fit his concept, he decides to place 1 point in Gossip, 4 points in Superstitious, and 2 points in Suspicious. Mortalis don't have any flaws to write down.

Abilities

Your blood and life each start at 3. Fill in 3 bubbles for each.

Sidebar: Master abilities

Body, Reason, and Spirit

Pick the master ability that is the most important to your character. Assign a score of 4 to it. This means that you can perform tasks related to this ability at a basic heroic level. Now pick the master ability that is the least important to your character. Assign a score of 2 to it. A score of 2 represents a middle-of-the-road common level of ability. It's the score of an average person. Finally, the remaining master ability is assigned a score of 3. A score of 3 represents the peak of common ability. 3 is as good as it gets for the average character.

Sidebar: Minor abilities

Body: Agility and Strength

Reason: Precision and Intelligence

Spirit: Charisma and Will

Minor abilities default to their master ability. They can be adjusted by taking a point from one ability in the pair and raising the other. For example, Body is composed of the minor abilities of Agility and Strength. Agility can be lowered to raise Strength. Any number of points can be moved around as long as the minor abilities are not adjusted above 7 or below 1.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella sets her Life and Blood to 3. She decides that Body is her most important master ability as it relates to the skills she wants to use the most. Spirit seems to be least important based on skills. She writes down a Body of 4, a Reason of 3, and a Spirit of 2. She adjusts her Agility to 6 in order to get more dice with physical skills and lowers her Strength to a 2. She likewise raises her Precision to 4 to get another die on Firearms and lowers her Intelligence to 2. She leaves Charisma and Will at 2 each.

Justin sets his Life and Blood to 3. Reason is the most important master ability to him. Body is the least important. He writes down a Body of 2, a Reason of 4, and a Spirit of 3. He pictures himself as clumsy, so he drops his Agility to 1 and hesitantly raises his Strength to 3. He doesn't want to be physically fit or strong, but 3 is still below the realms of heroic strength. He pictures himself a bit absent minded, so he pumps his Intelligence to 5 and drops his Precision to 3. Charisma likewise gets dumped due to bookishness to a 2 and Will gets pumped to 4.

Skills

Pick the skill category that is most important to your character: physical, mental, or social. Assign 14 points among the skills listed in that category. No skill may have a score above 7. They may be left at 0. Points may not be assigned to skills from other categories. You could assign two skills a score of 7, split your points out evenly, or any combination that adds up to 14.

Now pick the skill category that is least important to your character. Assign 5 points among the skills listed in that category. Follow the same rules as before. Finally, assign 7 points to the skills listed in the remaining category.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella chooses physical as her primary skill category. She decides to focus on fighting skills and assigns 4 points to Block, 4 points to Dodge, and 6 points to Melee. She chooses Social as her least important category. She assigns 3 points to Intimidate and 2 points to Resolve. Lastly, she assigns points to her mental skills. 4 points go to Firearms, 2 points to Perception, and 1 to Strategy.

Justin chooses mental as his category of choice. There seem to be the most relevant skills to a scholar there, and he decides to throw in some pistol training to take advantage of his 3 Precision. He assigns 2 points to Alchemy, 2 points to Firearms, 3 points to Healing, 4 points to Sorcery, and 3 points to Strategy. He nominates physical skills as least important and assigns 1 point to Block, 1 to Brawl, 2 to Dodge, and 1 to Ride. For social skills, he assigns 1 point to Devotion, 2 points to Etiquette, 1 point to Perform, and 3 points to Resolve.

Magic

Characters with a score above 3 in Alchemy, Sorcery, or Devotion are granted a number of heroic spells, recipes, or wards equal to their score minus 3. Write down a number of alchemical recipes equal to your Alchemy - 3. If you have a Sorcery above 3, choose a type of magic to specialize in (Demonology, Arcana Nocte, or Necromancy). Write down a number of spells from the appropriate list equal to your Sorcery score - 3. Write down a number of holy wards equal to your Devotion score - 3.

Skill score / spells

4 / 1

5 / 2

6 / 3

7 / 4

One note on choosing spells - heroic characters can use common recipes, spells, and wards without having them written down. This can generally be restricted to characters who have the relevant skill above 3, but can be influenced by character concept. A novice alchemist might have an Alchemy of 3, but still be allowed to use common recipes.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella does not have any magic skills above 3.

Justin has an Alchemy of 2, a Sorcery of 4, and a Devotion of 1. This will grant him 1 sorcery spell. He looks over the spell lists and decides that the form of sorcery he has studied is necromancy. He writes down the necromancy spell wake the dead. He also states that he knows a few common wards from his studies and the gamemaster agrees.

Advantages

Write down up to 7 advantages and assign 7 points between them. You could choose 1 advantage with a score of 7, one advantage with a score of 3 and another with a score of 4, seven advantages with a score of 1, or any combination that adds up to 7.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella decides to pickup some advantages representing her career as a mercenary, her fighting style, and some wealth for expenses. She writes down Mercenary 3, Fangs of the Wolf (twin broadswords) 3, and Wealth 1.

Justin decides to take some advantages that fit his concept, fleshing out the details provided by the traits he's acquired so far. He writes down Inquisitive Scholar 4, Fabian (owl familiar) 2, and Esoteric Library 1.

Equipment

Characters by and large have all the equipment they need that would make sense for their station, skills, and career. Soldiers might have weapons, a shield, and some armor. A blacksmith has a smithy, hammers, and tongs, A thief has whatever picks or dark clothes he needs. Nobles have fine clothing and perhaps a silver small sword. A carriage driver has a carriage or access to one.

All of these basic items of equipment are considered common, and are essentially free. It is not generally necessary to write them down on the character sheet. A list can be found here of suggestions.

Then there's heroic equipment such as the family sword that has been handed down for generations, the fashionable coat made from demon's skin, or the deck of cards that caused the twin courts to go to war. Stuff you won't find down at the general store. The stuff of legends.

You receive 3 points to spend on heroic equipment. You can buy heroic weapons, armor, or items for 1 point each, or you can spend 2 points to get a heroic trinket. You could take 3 heroic items, or 1 heroic item and a trinket.

Sidebar: Example characters

Ella decides that she wants a heroic melee weapon and heroic armor. That leaves one point to play with. She decides to pickup a ranged weapon as well. She writes down Blades of the Nola (pair of broadswords), The Gun That Killed the Duke (rifle), and Breastplate of the Crescent Moon (armor).

Criticals as written have turned out to be unbalanced and have ended up encouraging play styles that aren't desired. The following is an update to critical wounds.

Critical wounds

When a critical wound is inflicted, the attacker chooses from a menu of options. The options either affect the defender's movement, cause problems that can be overcome through a simple action check, or allow the possibility of additional attacks through a chain.

The following is a list of suggested critical wounds.

Knockback: defender moved to long range.

Grab: a defender at medium range may be drawn to close range by a melee weapon with a medium range (such as a whip).

Ring out: the defender is knocked off an area such as a bridge, ledge or cliff. The defender is allowed an Athletics check to avoid. The Athletics check difficulty is equal to the tier of the attacker.

Knockdown: the defender is knocked down in some manner and must take a step of movement to get up.

Disarm: the defender is disarmed of a weapon or object and must take a step of movement to recover the item.

Knock through: the defender is knocked through a piece of scenery such as a door or window and takes an additional light wound.

Chain: the attacker may followup with another attack as part of a chain (see Chaining below).

The intent here is not to create an allowed list but rather to allow the player freedom to create their own options. Looking at the samples above, you can find some limits to use when creating your own options. A critical wound should do no more than one of the following:

The defender should be able to recover their previous position by spending a maximum of 2 steps of movement.

The defender should be able to avoid or recover from an effect through an action check with a difficulty equal to the attacker's tier.

The defender may take an automatic light wound in addition to the critical wound.

The attacker may gain additional full attacks through chaining. This can simulate stuns and attack combos.

Chaining

When an attacker performs a chain, they pickup the same action pool they rolled to achieve the critical wound and roll again. They may activate further advantages and traits as normal - however traits that were activated for the first roll remain. The new action check has a difficulty equal to the previous roll plus one.

For example, if an attacker rolls a 14 versus a defense of 10. This results in a critical wound. The attacker chooses to inflict a chain as their critical effect. They must now roll a 15 to hit.

Armor

Candle in the Dark has a lot of mumbo jumbo.

Sometimes it's a good idea for a setting to keep the number of deviations from consensual reality to a minimum. It can help with the suspension of disbelief and make internal consistency easier. The more mumbo jumbo present, the more the participants are asked to suspend their disbelief.

Yet, when it comes to fantasy I think more is better. I like my fantasy to be fantastic, and the setting of Candle in the Dark is fantasy at it's core. It may be expressed as traditional medieval fantasy or as a gothic space opera, but it's still fantasy. The more fantastic elements, the merrier.

Variety shouldn't automatically mean kitchen sink. There's a flavor and a style to the game that makes some elements appropriate and others not. Horror science like Frankenstein's monster is good. Vampirism and ghosts are right on. Ancient pacts with demons look like a fit. Dwarven runesmiths and samurai robots are probably not.

Magic

There are a few different flavors of magic permeating the setting, and more could be uncovered or developed without toppling the apple cart. In broad terms there are three categories of flavor: magical science such as alchemy, various forms of ritualistic sorcery, and holy prayers of devotion.

Alchemy draws it's power from the blood of nobles. Lamia blood can be combined with various substances such as the three lesser elements of darkness, ash, and metal. Moon metal (silver) is often used. Alchemists can produce a variety of powders, chalks, potions, solvents, and solutions using proven recipes and laboratory equipment. Common recipes include alchemists fire, freezing dark, bloodgates, alchemist's wallets, and homunculi.

Sidebar: Who can use magic?

There are no general restrictions on who can use magic other than those with access to the time, lore and instruction to be trained. Magical study can be thought of as similar to learning to become a surgeon or lawyer. It requires some aptitude, time and money to accomplish.

There are a few specific restrictions or requirements for some types of magic. Alchemy requires lamia blood (a fact not cherished by lamia). Demonology requires a demon familiar. Arcana nocte can only be practiced by lamia.

The most common forms of sorcery are demonology, necromancy, and arcana nocte. Warlocks bind demons of Infernus as familiars in order to play with the fabric of fate itself through curses and charms. Necromancers dedicate themselves to the lord of death, Saint Obitus, absolutely through their own ritual deaths. They rise again with power over death and the ability to control the unquiet dead. Sorcerers of the arcana nocte draw on the stuff of dreams by invoking the power of Saint Noctis, the lord of night. They can summon the spirits of the Nightlands to do their bidding, step between dreams and waking, and call figments of dream into the waking world.

Prayers to the saints can be inscribed in ritual form into locations and objects in order to depart some measure of protection or power. Many priests and scholars know at least a few wards of protection that they have stringently practiced - usually those that work against demons and unquiet dead. An order of holy warriors dedicated to Saint Ignis, Ignis Malleos, has perfected holy wards to an art form. They are able to imbue their spears, shields and even mounts with the holy blue flame of Ignis on command.

Genetic modification

Part science, part fantasy - the bloodlines of Candle in the Dark were created through genetic modification. Their creation might resemble hand-waived fantasy like the original Frankenstein or the original Island of Dr. Moreau, or they could have been grown in sci-fi vats using a pseudo-science understanding of the latest genetics technology. The particular version is up to the gamemaster and their version of the setting.

One thing remains unchanged: the bloodlines were at least partially made from human stock and none of them resemble the original stock entirely. Lamia were designed to be a vampiric race that could live in daylight. Mortalis were made to be food for the nobles after humans died out. Sutilus were pieced together from the limbs and organs transplanted from various donors. Barbarus were an experiment in making wolves into people. Cetarius were made to live under the sea. Corvus were born from the combination of humans and demons.

The monsters were made from people.

Steampunk

Technology powered by steam and clockwork mechanisms abounds. There's probably a lot of mundane stuff like steam engines, locomotives, rigid airships, giant clocks, and steam powered doors. There might be fantastic devices like lightning guns, steam powered spaceships, and clockwork prosthetics. A fetishistic approach applies spinning gears and smoke stacks like frosting on a cake.

Engineers can build fantastic clockwork mechanisms.

Monsters

The bloodlines resemble classic horror monsters such as vampires, werewolves, mummies, and creatures from the deep. They often serve as the antagonists in a campaign. Entire stories can be constructed around the plots of the lamia, their assassins, soldiers, and mercenaries. Villains can be simple swordsmen or dark warlocks. Yet, true monsters do exist.

There are demons from hell - resembling anything from mutants, to cenobites or even dragons. The dead do not rest deeply and often trouble the living as ghosts or revenants. Creatures of myth from the Nightlands step from dreams into the waking world.

Gods

No gods are spoken of other than the holy saints - beings said to have eaten an apple from the Rose Garden and achieved immortality. They are worshipped by a single church called the Sanctorum, though each is a patron of a particular aspect of the world and may have their own chapels and sects. The saints are worshipped through ritual prayer, devotion, and often the offering of blood or silver.

Saint of Night, Noctis: portrayed as a raven haired man of rich dark clothes covered in blood with small leathery black wings sprouting from his back. Symbols include bats and rich tapestries. Often considered the head of the Sanctorum. Saint Noctis is associated with the element of darkness.

Saint of Pain, Morsus: portrayed as a woman bound in black leather and spikes, flesh peeled back with a rictus grin of pleasure. Symbols include a mask that leaks tears of blood and apples. Servants include the flesh pullers, rotting women who were once beautiful that can separate flesh with a tug, and succubi. 

Saint of Death, Obitus: portrayed as a pale marble, androgynous angel with half rotting face and wing. Symbols include grave lilies (black and white). Servants include reapers. A lily is often used to mark graves, called a lilium.

Saint of Blood, Cruor: portrayed as a snow pale, male angel with red eyes and white hair. Symbols include blood flowers and crimson moths. Moth fairies serve the Saint of Blood. Cruor is often called the son of night and is associated with the element of blood.

Saint of Tears, Lacrima: portrayed as a blood red octopus served by the horned devils of the deep. Horned skulls are symbols of the Saint of Tears. Saint Lacrima was born during the Flood.

Saint of Fire, Ignis: portrayed as a blazing knight of blue flame astride an ashen steed wielding sword and spear. Saint Ignis is associated with the element of ash and his symbol is the blue flame. He is a popular saint among the mortalis and most of his chapels and followers are peasants.

Saint of Gears, Clepsydra: portrayed as a handsome lord of parchment skin and blue lips wearing a brocade coat of blue and red. Symbols include faceless clockwork dolls and gears. Saint Clepsydra is associated with the element of metal.

Saint of Roses, the Insect Queen: portrayed as a pale woman of white hair and soft auburn eyes dressed in insect legs and vines. Antennae spout from her brows and white cellophane wings spout from her back. Her symbols include white roses.

Saint of Black Powder, Virga: portrayed as a sunset haired man of black coat bearing a single, ornate pistol. Symbols include the pentagram. Servants include winged snakes and imps.

Other dimensions

Beyond the waking world lies the world of dreams, the Nightlands, and the world of the dead, Infernus. Whether these are way stops on the campaign trail or distant lands mentioned only in whispers is up to the gamemaster. Other realms such as those dedicated to madness and passion exist.

Demons

Demons exist, and so to does hell. It's called Infernus and it's closer to Hellraiser than Dante. Demons are mutated beings of flesh, sharp bits, and black leather that typically are bound into innocent looking familiars. Their very presence affects the world around them by warping fate and physics. Upside-down castles and reconfigured anatomy are the norm.

They aren't organized and their motives are mostly their own. There are greater beings they fear such as the Lord in Red. Leaders like the Lantern Bearer walk among them. They often tempt and corrupt mortals into madness and death. Sometimes mortals become demons, though most were born from Infernus. 

The equipment rules for Candle in the Dark are fairly simple, and a broad range of items can be represented. This may make it difficult for players to decide what they should choose for their characters or for gamemasters to decide what's appropriate for the setting. While the setting can be customized to the GM's needs, we can still define a general list of equipment that will be appropriate for most games.

This is that list. *

Weapons

Each weapon listed below has a suggested default tier, range, and skill.

The tier represents the minimum starting tier of the weapon. Weapons may be specialized and upgraded to higher tiers. For example, the Sword of Morning Fire might be a heroic saber that once belonged to a commander of the Malleus Ignis.

Both range and skill may have multiple options. For example, a hand axe may be wielded in close combat using Melee or thrown to medium range using Throw.

Weapon / Tier / Range / Skill

baton / common / close / Melee

battle axe / common / close / Melee

bayonet / common / close / Melee

broadsword / common / close / Melee

canon / heroic / long / Firearms

dagger / common / close / Melee

foil / common / close / Melee

great sword / common / close / Melee

grenade / heroic / medium / Throw

hand axe / common / close / medium / Melee / Throw

lance / common / close / Melee

mace / common / close / Melee

pistol / common / medium / Firearms

rapier / common / close / Melee

rifle / common / long / Firearms

saber / common / close / Melee

small sword / common / close / Melee

spear / common / close / medium / Melee / Throw

throwing knife / common / medium / Throw

war hammer / common / close / Melee

whip / common / medium / Melee

Armor

Both armor rating (AR) and defense bonus are based on an armor's tier. By and large, most armor is common and merely descriptive flavor. On the other hand, heroic characters may have a few signature pieces of armor that grant them bonuses. The following list are examples of items that might offer an armor bonus.

Sample armor: arm guard, breast plate, cloak, helm, leather coat, long coat, plate mail, shield

General equipment

Other items of equipment generally take the form of tools that grant a bonus to a particular skill. Here are some examples, listed by skill.

Skill / Sample items

Alchemy / laboratory, fine ingredients

Craft / anvil, forge, hammer, hoe, gloves, rake, sewing needles, jeweler’s lens, chisel, brushes, scissors, knives, botanical catalogue

Devotion / prayer book, beads, incense, holy symbol

Empathy / revealing clothing, crest or insignia

Etiquette / noble clothing, fine jewelry, heraldric index

Guile / fan, veil

Healing / surgeon’s kit, surgery, medical bay

Intimidate / weapons, torturer’s implements

Perception / goggles, glasses, monocle, ear horn

Perform / costume, harpsichord, piano, guitar

Resolve / prayer beads, holy symbol, cherished bauble

Ride / horse, wolf, saddle, shoes

Sorcery / artifact, wand, scepter, totem

Stealth / dark clothing, cloak, charcoal, padded boots

Strategy / map, military codex

Streetwise / peasant clothing, wealth

Survival / tent, canteen, compass, rifle

Thievery / lockpicks, cutpurse’s coin, wire cutters

Every profession needs the right tools to do their job - be they a knight or a blacksmith. Characters are often defined by their tools. Legendary weapons, ornate armor, and magical artifacts can all add a certain flair to a character's style. Then there is the time-honored tradition of killing things and taking their stuff.

Characters need their gear.

Tiers of equipment

Like many elements of Candle in the Dark, equipment is defined according to the tiers - common, heroic, and epic. Common equipment is normal everyday tools. It might be well-made or cheap and shoddy. Heroic equipment, on the other hand, has a story told throughout Dominion. A sword forged by a legendary blacksmith. A harpsichord that once belonged to a maestro. A lock-pick made from a demon's finger. Epic equipment is the stuff of legend among even the saints. A sword that killed a god. A laboratory that birthed a bloodline.

Equipment can be used as a potential trait on tasks relating to it's purpose. The rating of the trait is defined by the tier of the equipment - common is 1, heroic is 2, and epic is 3. This means a common lock-pick grants 1 bonus die to a Thievery roll to pick a lock. A heroic lock-pick grants 2 bonus dice and an epic lock-pick grants 3.

Weapons

In addition to tier, weapons are rated for their range and their associated skill.

Their range may be close, medium, or long. A character may attack with a weapon as long as their target is within their weapon range. Close range weapons include swords, axes, and other melee weapons. Medium range weapons include most throwing weapons such as knives, pistols, and melee weapons with a long reach such as whips. Long range weapons include rifles and canons.

A weapon's associated skill is used for attacking and may be Melee, Throw, or Firearms. Block is used for defending with a melee weapon.

Weapons can grant their bonus dice to attack and defend. They may grant a bonus to attack when the target is at an equal range to the weapon. For example, a pistol only grants a bonus at medium range - even though they may fire on an opponent at close range. Melee weapons grant their bonus to defend at close range as long as the weapon is close range. For example, a whip may attack at medium range but does not grant a bonus to block.

Armor

Armor is rated as having a number of points called armor points. This is also called an Armor Rating or AR. Common armor does not offer a benefit. It is only for show. Heroic armor may have an AR of 1 or 2. Epic armor may have an AR of 3 or more. How this works has already been described under combat.

If an armor still has armor points left, it may be used as a potential bonus on defense rolls (including dodge).

Trinkets and artifacts

Some equipment may grant the bearer special abilities they do not normally have access to. An alchemical potion may turn the imbiber into a toad. A mechanical pistol might generate a lightning charge equal to a spell. A Candle of Saint Ignis can ward an area from the unquiet dead. Such items are trinkets.

Trinkets may possess spell effects equal in tier to the trinket itself. Each trinket effect may be used once per game session. Use the skill associated with the trinket for any necessary casting roll for the effect. For example, a lightning pistol would use the character's Firearms skill plus a bonus equal to the trinket tier.

We've made a few changes while playtesting. The following is an update to combat.

Default defenses

Instead of a single difficulty based on the character's tier, defenses are split into Block, Dodge, Sorcery, and Resolve. Each of these separate defenses are based on the skill of the same name. Add the character's skill to 6 to get the defense difficulty.

For example, a character has the following defense skills: Block 3, Dodge 2, Sorcery 0, and Resolve 1. This would make their default defenses: Block 9, Dodge 8, Sorcery 6, and Resolve 7.

The reason for the change is twofold. First, it adds a little variation between different types of enemies within the same tier. Enemies can now be good at dodging, but not blocking. They could be vulnerable to magic, or to insults. Second, it allows the players' skills to impact their defenses a bit more.

I may still keep the old version of defense as an option for those who prefer simplicity.

Light wounds and scratches

As a result of the defense change above, some characters will have difficulty scoring critical wounds on their peers. Let's look at a character at the bottom of the heroic tier who would like to strike a character at the top. I'm using skill and ability rating here to measure top and bottom. A bottom level heroic tier attack is 4 dice + 4 skill. A top level heroic defense is 13 (base 6 defense + 7 skill).

That gives the attacker a roughly 59% chance to hit their opponent. However, a basic hit only inflicts a light wound versus a heroic character. Remember, heroic characters shrug off light wounds with no effect. To score a critical wound against a 13 defense requires a result of 17. Focusing could allow the attacker to get 17 by rolling a ten on all four dice, but the chances of that happening are 1 in 10,000.

At the same time, I've been a bit unsatisfied with light wounds on heroic characters. While I want the characters to be able to shrug them off, I'm not sure I want them to be able to ignore light wounds completely. With a simple change to allow light wounds to have an effect, I can solve the problem introduced by skill-based defenses as well.

From now on, a light wound against a heroic character will cause a scratch. When three scratches accumulate, they cost the character a life point and reset to zero scratches. Critical wounds are not inflicted by accumulated scratches.

3 Scratches = 1 Life Point

There are some additional themes present in the setting of Candle in the Dark that I have not yet reflected in the mechanics. Continued from part one.

The idle rich

A great number of the nobles are wealthy beyond the dreams of the average peasant. They live in vast estates, surrounded by collections of art and opulence, where every whim and need is cared for by an army of servants. They are blessed with immortal life and ageless beauty. The divine right to rule is granted them by their beliefs, and the peasants are assigned the divine burden to serve.

Yet, their days are naturally empty. Lacking purpose or toil, they find fulfillment rare. The daylight pains them. They grow bored with the years and seek to amuse themselves through decadent parties and elaborate politics from deep within the confines of their castles. 

They willingly isolate themselves from the outside world.

Arranging deck chairs during the apocalypse

Like most role-playing games, the world is in great peril. Apocalyptic events are in motion that can only be thwarted by the heroic actions of the player characters. A suggested apocalyptic campaign is included with the setting, or gamemasters can build their own dark events. Either way, the PCs need to kick ass and save the world.

Advantages are the next set of traits used to define characters. Unlike abilities and skills, they may be customized. Advantages are also limited in their use. Finally, they are always considered potential traits.

Sidebar: advantages versus bloodline advantages

We've used the term advantages before when talking about bloodline traits. To be clear, advantages and bloodline advantages are not the same thing. You can think of the advantages described here as regular advantages. A terminology change may be in order here to maintain clarity.

Advantages work like any potential trait.  When an advantage applies to a particular check, dice equal to it's score may be added to the action pool. What checks a particular advantage apply to is largely in the hands of the player, though the gamemaster can veto. However, the GM is encouraged to allow almost any usage.

There is one catch. Advantages can each only be used once per session. Once an advantage is activated and used on a particular check, it cannot be used again for the remainder of the session. The knowledge or benefit provided by the advantage doesn't disappear, however it can only be of benefit occasionally. If a character is beautiful, only once per session may it have an impact on the game.

For example, a character has Wealth as an advantage trait. They could use it on an Influence check by bribing a guard. They could use it to buy a flashy outfit that benefits their Etiquette in court. Perhaps they've bought a superior quality sword that helps them on a Melee check. Maybe they had an expensive riding tutor as a child and get a bonus on Ride. As long as the player can explain the usage, Wealth could be applied to every skill check possible.

Advantages may also grant special knowledge to a character that does not require the advantage to be activated. Careers usually fall into this category. Typically, this grants special benefits to Knowledge, Craft, and Perception checks.

A character with the advantage Farmer may be able to use Knowledge to gain information on crops growing in a Duke's fields. They may use Craft to plant crops, till fields, or repair farming tools. Perception may be used to predict rain from clouds. A Miner might use Knowledge to tell gemstones apart, Craft to dig a tunnel, and Perception to determine that part of a dungeon was built recently.

There is no set list of advantages, but a suggested list follows. Players are free to invent advantages that suit their character as long as the gamemaster agrees that they fit the setting.

Suggested advantages

Beauty

Career (mercenary, farmer, miner, scholar, guard, tomb robber, etc.)

Familiar (normal or summoned creatures)

Fighting style (pistoleer, knight of Noctis, boxer, etc.)

Followers (roughly 1 heroic follower or common unit per point)

Wealth

The next step to defining a character is their skills. Where abilities represent innate traits possessed by all characters, skills are achievements or knowledge that have been acquired by the character. Not all characters possess every skill, and most have only a few.

Skills are effect traits paired with a particular ability. They are grouped into three lists that line up with the major abilities: physical, mental, and social. Physical skills are paired with Agility, mental skills are paired with Precision, and social skills are paired with Charisma. Like all traits, each skill has a score relative to the character's tier.

Physical skills

Physical skills are paired with Agility and are often associated with the arms and legs.

Block: a defense skill used against Brawl and Melee attacks. Block may represent blocking with a shield, parrying with a weapon, or ducking a blow.

Brawl: an attack skill used to fight unarmed. Brawling can represent tavern fighting, boxing, or the claws of a barbarus.

Dodge: a defense skill used against Throw and Firearms attacks. Dodge may represent dodging a knife, leaping or rolling to make a more difficult target, or swatting away a thrown weapon with a sword or shield.

Melee: an attack skill used to attack with a melee weapon. Melee weapons can include swords, axes, whips, daggers, spears, and maces. Melee is often paired with a fighting style advantage that relies on specific weapons and maneuvers.

Ride: is the skill at riding mounts. Ride is used in place of Athletics checks when mounted.

Stealth: a surprise skill used for sneaking past opponents or catching them unaware.

Thievery: the skill of disabling mechanisms and sleight of hand. Thievery is used to pick locks, disarm traps in tombs, and pick pockets.

Throw: an attack skill used to attack with a thrown weapon such as a hand axe or knife.

Mental skills

Mental skills are paired with Precision and are often associated with the eyes and fingers.

Alchemy: the noble skill of brewing alchemical potions, chalks, ointments, and salves. Alchemy can be used to create consumable trinkets, but it requires the blood of the lamia.

Craft: the peasant skill of creating items of value such as paintings, jewelry, tools, weapons, and armor. Craft is normally paired with advantages to determine what kinds of items can be created.

Firearms: an attack skill used to attack with black powder firearms such as pistols, handguns, rifles, and canons.

Healing: the skill of healing others. Healing can be used to aid the sick and injured and speed up their recovery.

Perception: a surprise skill used to detect sneaking opponents and prevent ambush. Perception is also used to detect useful facts about a scene or character relating to one of the senses.

Sorcery: an attack and defense skill. Sorcery is used to cast magical spells that have a variety of effects.

Strategy: an attack skill used in mass combat. It can also be used for the game of King or other tests involving strategic thinking.

Survival: the skill of outsiders. Survival is used to find shelter and food in the wilderness.

Social skills

Social skills are paired with Charisma and are often associated with the mouth.

Devotion: an attack skill used to beseech or pray for aid from one of the saints.

Empathy: a surprise skill used to detect social ambush. Empathy can also be used to discern the motivations of others and see through lies. Often contested against Guile.

Etiquette: the skill of nobles. Etiquette is used to interact in a court setting. It replaces Influence in such settings where learned manners and proper protocol are key.

Guile: a surprise skill used to throw opponents off guard in social situations. Guile can also be used to cloak the user's motives. Often contested against Empathy.

Intimidate: an attack skill used to attack others in both social situations and on the field of combat. Intimidate can use words, menace, and body language.

Perform: the skill of creating an artistic performance such as song, dance, or theater. Perform can be used as Influence, Guile, and Intimidate on the audience.

Resolve: a defense skill used against social or spiritual attacks. Resolve works through sheer force of will, determination, and mental exercise.

Streetwise: the skill of peasants. Streetwise is used to avoid the hazards of the cruel streets, find goods, or locate contacts.

Combat skills

Several skills play a special role in combat that is worth noting. There are skills that can be used for attacking, skills that can be used for defending, and skills that can be used in an ambush. Most of these skills interact with a specific counterpart skill.

Brawl, Melee, Throw, Firearms, Sorcery, Devotion, and Intimidate can all be used to attack an opponent in combat. Brawl, Melee, Throw, and Firearms are physical attacks. Intimidate is a spiritual attack. Sorcery and Devotion are a bit different in that they can be used to attack with magic that could be either physical, mental, or spiritual.

Block, Dodge, Sorcery, and Resolve can be used to defend against an opponent. Block is used to avoid Brawl and Melee attacks. Ranged attacks such as those caused by Throw and Firearms are avoided with Dodge. Sorcery is used to defend against Sorcery. Spiritual attacks such as those from Devotion or Intimidate are avoided with Resolve.

Summary of attacks and defenses

Brawl vs. Block

Melee vs. Block

Throw vs. Dodge

Firearms vs. Dodge

Sorcery vs. Sorcery

Devotion vs. Resolve

Intimidate vs. Resolve

Stealth and Guile are used to obtain surprise. Perception and Empathy are used to avoid being surprised or ambushed. Stealth and Perception are used in physical combat. Guile and Empathy are used in social combat. How this works is explained under combat.

Summary of surprise

Stealth vs. Perception

Guile vs. Empathy

An addendum to Bloodlines.

Flaws, like all traits, have a score. The score of a flaw is equal to the highest bloodline advantage score possessed by the character. That is, if a lamia has Speed of the Dead 5, Immortal Beauty 2, and Noble Tyrant 4 then their Sickness of the Light will be rated at 5. A barbarus with Regeneration 3, Scent of the Moon 6, and Strength of the Beast 4 will have Bestial Form and Mesiac's Curse both rated at 6.

That gives players a reason to choose between a single high bloodline advantage or a few lower advantages when designing their character. However, the flaws detailed so far don't actually make reference to their score. Why does it matter if they are high or low? Well, here it is.

The gamemaster can decided at any time to activate a flaw on a player's check and add it as negative potential to the check. Remember I said that flaws are under the control of the gamemaster, right? They can decide a flaw applies at any time before a check is rolled. There is one catch though. The gamemaster has to award a point of blood to the character - up to their normal limit of course. The player gets a little something for their trouble.

For example, the lamia mentioned above is ambushed in his carriage during the daylight by a group of red hoods. He wins initiative and opens with a multi-action to take down all of his attackers at once. The gamemaster decides to spice things up a bit and activate the lamia's Sickness of the Light flaw. It's broad daylight, so it certainly applies. The GM gives the player a blood token and the player subtracts 5 dice from his action pool before rolling.

The next step to defining characters is abilities. An ability is an innate trait shared by all characters that governs a certain range of activity. Like all traits, they are scored on a range relative to the character's tier. Abilities can be contrasted with skills, which are learned or gained rather than being innate.

Abilities are divided into three broad master traits that each encompass two minor traits. Master abilities are equal to the average of their two minor abilities, rounded down. If a character does not have minor abilities listed, use the master ability score instead.

Master abilities

Body: encompasses all corporeal or physical activities such as running, jumping a chasm, lifting a rock, swimming across a river, surviving the poison of a deadly viper, and swinging a sword. Body is divided into Agility and Strength.

Reason: encompasses all mental and immaterial activities such as solving a riddle, remembering something read in a book, staying alert, composing a battle strategy, and casting a spell. Reason is divided into Precision and Intelligence.

Spirit: encompasses all spiritual and social activities such as leading a unit into battle, understanding your enemy's motivations, entreating the saints, lying to a constable, and shaking off insults. Spirit is divided into Charisma and Will.

Minor abilities

Agility: encompasses balance, coordination, speed, and reflexes. Agility is used as a potential trait for all physical skills and serves as the basis of physical action pools.

Strength: encompasses physical strength, endurance, and stamina. Strength is used as an effect trait for Athletics checks.

Precision: encompasses metal agility, hand-eye coordination, deductive reasoning, and attention. Precision is used as a potential trait for all mental skills and serves as the basis of mental action pools.

Intelligence: encompasses memory, mental quickness, and learning. Intelligence is used as an effect trait for Knowledge checks.

Charisma: encompasses communication, imagination, and emotion. Charisma is used as a potential trait for all social skills and serves as the basis of social action pools.

Will: encompasses mental fortitude, free-will, and personal aura. Will is used as an effect trait for Influence checks.

Potentials and effects

As seen in the descriptions above, minor abilities may be divided into potentials and effects. Agility, Precision, and Charisma are potential traits. Strength, Intelligence, and Will are effect traits.

Basic checks

Each major ability is associated with a basic check that can be made using it's minor abilities. Basic checks are similar to skills, but are innate to all characters. The three basic checks are Athletics, Knowledge, and Influence.

Athletics: Agility + Strength. Athletics checks are used for basic physical activity such as lifting, running, jumping, swimming, and climbing.

Knowledge: Precision + Intelligence. Knowledge checks are used for basic mental activity such as recalling lore, deciphering languages, and solving riddles.

Influence: Charisma + Will. Influence checks are used for basic social activity such as impressing others, making friends, and changing minds.

Basic defenses

Each major ability serves as a basic defense against threats. Use the major ability as both the potential trait and the effect trait when rolling a basic defense check.

Body is used as a basic defense against physical conditions such as poison, fatigue, and illness. Roll Body + Body to make a Body basic defense.

Reason is used as a basic defense against mental conditions such as sorcery, drugs, and sensory overload. Roll Reason + Reason to make a Reason basic defense.

Spirit is used as a basic defense against spiritual conditions such as fear, doubt, and demonic curses. Roll Spirit + Spirit to make a Spirit basic defense.